“Coming Out” … Good Career Move or No Big Deal? Homosexuality in Hollywood

by Randy on October 6, 2008 · Comments

This is an interesting article (emphasis mine and thoughts after the jump) …

(CNN) — It used to be called “the love that dare not speak its name” — particularly in Hollywood, where the revelation of homosexuality was believed to be a career-killer.

Clay Aiken recently announced he was gay on the cover of People magazine.

Now, out gays and lesbians are as casually visible as the cover of People magazine, which has recently run stories on Ellen DeGeneres’ wedding to Portia de Rossi and Clay Aiken’s decision to discuss his sexuality.

So, in a time when self-declared bisexual Tila Tequila can have a highly rated MTV show on looking for a partner of either sex, Lindsay Lohan talks about her relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson and “Star Trek’s” George Takei can have a very public wedding with his longtime partner, is coming out still a big deal?

Publicist Howard Bragman, author of the forthcoming “Where’s My Fifteen Minutes” (Portfolio), says that it is.

“Every person that comes out is another barrier coming down,” Bragman, who is openly gay, told CNN.com. Acceptance by the mainstream public, he observes, is easier but by no means automatic, particularly when issues such as gay marriage are at stake. “I look at it as a long-term process. The revolution is over — now it’s an evolution.”

[From In Hollywood, sexuality is less secret, still can be big deal - CNN.com]

He thinks the “revolution” is over? Now it’s an evolution? … interesting framing.

They mention Clay possibly losing support among “middle America” and from the “south” where he is from. While a majority of his fan base might have been as they describe, I don’t think he had a huge fan base anyway. I think he has an amazing voice but for whatever reason he didn’t take off like I thought he would.

Regardless of his talent, he will now find a good jolt of popularity in today’s cultural climate. Clay’s album sales jumped 712% (link goes to a gay blog) on Amazon right after he broke the news. Also, he got paid by People Magazine $500,000 for the baby pics which coincided with the article of him embracing a gay identity. One side-note here … People had to win a bidding contest for the story and pics. With this example, and reading the above article, I think it is obvious that most same sex attracted people in, or wanting to break into, Hollywood find it lucrative to “come out.” Also, it’s just as obvious that the entertainment (and mainstream?) media finds it lucrative to cover these stories.

Side-note: Did you hear Rosie is going to host a variety show?

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Viewing 11 Comments

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    It's a very different world than when I came out - that's for sure!
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    That's the truth.
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    Yeah. Things were so much different in the 70s. Celebrities kept announcing that they were bisexual. Remember? Elton John was on the cover of People saying he was "bisexual." And Olivia Newton John. Joan Baez. David Bowie. At one point I said "Who's next? Ernest Borgnine?" It got so I couldn't read People Magazine anymore.
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    Back in the '70's I was learning to tie my shoes and my ABC's so I don't have a personal remembrance of those things. :)

    Were you really that offended?
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    I actually have a friend who has some pretty major connections in Los Angeles. He said that the danger in "coming out" really depends on what kind of celebrity you are. A moderately-successful singer like Clay Aiken or an actor whose glory days have passed like George Takei don't have much to lose, and actually have a lot to gain. As for Lindsay Lohan, well, I think a lot of people are relieved that she's at least settled down with somebody and appears healthier than she once was.

    But for a leading man, there is a lot more to lose. Women never flocked to Clay Aiken as a sex symbol, but if Chace Crawford, the heartthrob of TV's "Gossip Girl" who is rumored to be gay, came out of the closet, he'd probably lose a lot of his fan base. The same could be said for country star Kenny Chesney, who has also been speculated about. I personally respect the stars who keep their personal lives private, no matter if they are straight or gay. But it's certainly not a clear-cut issue as to who stands to benefit from coming out and who doesn't.
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    What about Neil Patrick Harris and Anderson Cooper? And all those slashy chicks out there who happily write fics about Brad Pitt, as well as all of their favorite M/m character pairings from movies and tv? Although slash fen are in the minority, I will admit, so maybe they aren't a good guage of how the mainstream population will feel about a celeb's outing.

    On Lilo, people seem to be having the 'at least she's stabilized' reaction, but they also seem to be having the "Is she for real?" reaction. Frankly, I will not be surprised if she winds up going back and forth between Lesbian and straight relationships for the rest of her life.
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    Good point about Lohan. I also wouldn't be surprised if she came out as at least bisexual (which is sort of a trend these days anyway). I also wouldn't consider Neil Patrick Harris a heartthrob. There's a difference in sitcom acting (like Harris) and supporting role acting (like T.R. Knight) and being a male romantic lead or an action star. I think the dangers in coming out are greater for the latter two.

    And I think Anderson Cooper's reputation doesn't really hinge on his private life, which is something he's admitted, which is why he doesn't often discuss it. Certainly no one in the journalism world really cared when CNN's Thomas Roberts came out of the closet, either, but I'm just saying that if he had been an A-List star things would be a little different.
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    Hey Jay- I agree with your points here about A-list vs. B or C list stars coming out completely. I'd like to comment about stars keeping their personal lives private, though. The problem is that there are two different standards--a straight star that keeps his private life private would still do things like take a date to an award show or go to dinner with a date, or maybe even a bar, and it wouldn't be that big of a deal. He wouldn't be announcing his relationship to the world--just dating like a normal person. However, if a gay star did that and wasn't out of the closet to the world, the tabloids would pick up on it, and all of the sudden his burden would have to be to never been seen in public with a date of the same sex...not just not talk about it publicly. I don't know, I like the idea of keeping private lives private, but I think the burden on a gay star to do that goes way beyond what it is for a straight star.
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    Brady. I was going to write this way earlier, but I've been super busy, and then when I sat down to do it tonight Randy's blog decided to migrate. So I'm writing it now while I'm really tired.

    I think part of the problem is that there is this feeling that it is incumbent upon a star who is 'out' to act in a certain way that goes far beyond what a straight star would do in equivalent situations. I would personally consider a star who just quietly went out on dates, to movie premiers, etc. w/ his boyfriend, and just simply said "This is my boyfriend, Bob," when asked, to be both out and keeping his private life private. But it doesn't seem to be enough for many people. They want everyone to make a big announcement of "Yes I'm GAY. I'm OUT!!!" right on the front of People magazine, coupled with specifically gay behavior. So then you have this concept of stars not officially being gay unless they explicitly say so (even if it's totally and painfully obvious), and those that aren't out feeling like they need to either hide or make a deal with People. It just seems like it reduces the whole thing to absurdity, while simultaneously turning people's private lives political. But The Abbey would suddenly be a lot less interesting if the stars decided to keep everything private, anway.

    Incidentally, in real life I don't think I've ever met a gay man (including my very close friends) who has ever announced "I'm gay" to me. It tends to be the type of thing I either figure out for myself, or else am told via mentions/introductions of the 'husband/partner/whatever' (as Dave White likes to put it). And I've never been bothered by that.
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    Why are we even discussing this? The world loves all this.
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    Because it is relevant to discussions concerning the culture we live in. Should we not talk about it?
 

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